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Module: Fact-Checking Fundamentals

By SAUFEX Consortium • 23 January 2026

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A sensational claim appears in your feed. Before you invested five minutes checking, you would have shared it. Instead, you verified - and discovered it was false.

Those five minutes protected your credibility and stopped disinformation from spreading further through your network. Fact-checking isn’t about being skeptical of everything - it’s about being strategic.

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What Is Fact-Checking?

Fact-checking is the process of verifying claims against reliable sources and evidence. Professional fact-checkers do this full-time, but basic fact-checking is a skill anyone can learn.

Key principle: You’re not trying to prove your initial impression right or wrong. You’re trying to find out what’s actually true, wherever that leads.

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When to Fact-Check

You can’t verify everything you encounter. Prioritize fact-checking when:

  • The claim is surprising or dramatic
  • You’re tempted to share or act on it
  • It confirms your existing beliefs strongly (confirmation bias risk)
  • It’s about an important topic
  • The source is unfamiliar
  • Something feels off, but you’re not sure why

Most content doesn’t need verification - save your effort for claims that matter.

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The SIFT Method Revisited

Remember the four moves from our source evaluation module:

Stop: Don’t react immediately

Investigate the source: Who’s making this claim?

Find better coverage: What do trusted sources say?

Trace to the original: Find the original context

This simple framework handles most fact-checking needs efficiently.

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Lateral Reading

Professional fact-checkers use a technique called “lateral reading” - instead of staying on the original source and judging it there, they immediately open new tabs and search for information about the source and claim.

Open new tabs to:

  • Check what others say about the source
  • Find other coverage of the claim
  • Look for the original source of information
  • See if fact-checkers have addressed it

This “reading across” the web is more effective than reading deeply on one site.

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Using Reputable Fact-Checkers

Professional fact-checking organizations have resources and expertise you don’t. Use them:

International:

  • FactCheck.org (US, Annenberg Public Policy Center)
  • Snopes (general fact-checking, internet rumors)
  • PolitiFact (US politics, Pulitzer Prize winner)

EU/Regional:

  • Full Fact (UK)
  • AFP Fact Check (global)
  • EU vs Disinfo (EU disinformation database)

Meta-resources:

  • International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) directory

Many claims have already been verified by professionals.

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Evaluating Fact-Checkers

Not all “fact-checking” is legitimate. Evaluate fact-checkers themselves:

  • Transparent about methodology?
  • Corrections when they err?
  • Non-partisan funding (not political parties/campaigns)?
  • IFCN certified (if possible)?
  • Clear distinction between fact-checking and opinion?
  • Cite sources so you can verify independently?

Legitimate fact-checkers explain their process and reasoning clearly.

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Reverse Image Search for Claims

Visual claims often include photos as “evidence.” Verify images:

  1. Right-click image → Search image with Google

  2. Or use TinEye.com or Yandex image search

  3. Look for earliest appearances

  4. Check if image appears in different contexts

  5. Verify the original source and date

This catches old photos presented as current, images from different locations, or staged photos presented as authentic.

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Checking Scientific and Medical Claims

Health and science claims need special attention:

  • Check peer-reviewed publications (PubMed, Google Scholar)
  • Look for scientific consensus, not single studies
  • Verify researcher credentials and affiliations
  • Check for conflicts of interest
  • See if reputable health organizations address it (WHO, CDC, etc.)
  • Be wary of “miracle cures” and extraordinary claims

Legitimate scientific reporting acknowledges uncertainty and limitations.

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Red Flags in Claims

Certain patterns indicate likely false or misleading claims:

  • Extraordinary claims with weak evidence
  • Appeals to emotion over facts
  • “They don’t want you to know…”
  • Mixing some true facts with false conclusions
  • Vague sourcing (“sources say,” “experts believe”)
  • Conspiratorial framing
  • Time pressure (“Share before they take this down!”)

These tactics appear in disinformation more than legitimate information.

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The Limits of Fact-Checking

Fact-checking has limitations:

  • Can’t prove something never happened
  • Opinion and interpretation aren’t fact-checkable
  • Some claims are too vague to verify
  • Evidence may be unavailable or disputed
  • “Technically true but misleading” is hard to rate
  • Corrections rarely reach original audience

Understanding these limits helps set realistic expectations for verification.

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Building Fact-Checking Habits

Make verification routine:

  1. Pause before sharing anything dramatic or surprising

  2. Check one additional source before accepting important claims

  3. Use lateral reading - open new tabs to investigate

  4. Search for existing fact-checks on the claim

  5. Verify images with reverse search

  6. Note your sources if you post corrections

  7. Model good behavior - normalize fact-checking in your network

These habits compound over time. Your network becomes more resistant to disinformation as you share reliable information and correct misinformation you’ve accidentally shared.

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When Fact-Checking Goes Wrong

Common pitfalls:

  • Falling for confirmation bias while verifying
  • Accepting the first search result without checking further
  • Using poor-quality fact-checking sources
  • Spending hours on obviously absurd claims (strategic waste of time)
  • Engaging in arguments rather than quietly verifying
  • Sharing misinformation while debunking it (repeating the false claim)

Be aware of these traps as you develop fact-checking skills.

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Your Role in the Information Ecosystem

Every time you verify before sharing, you:

  • Stop misinformation from spreading through your network
  • Model critical thinking for others
  • Maintain your own credibility
  • Make the information environment slightly better
  • Resist manipulation attempts
  • Practice and strengthen verification skills

Fact-checking isn’t about being suspicious of everyone. It’s about taking responsibility for information quality in your sphere of influence. Small individual efforts create collective resilience.

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